An Impossible Goodbye
by tudorwench
Summary: All things must end, even for the man who hates endings


Clara smiled as the breeze played gently with her hair, the white curls stirring. She'd forgotten the name of this planet, though the Doctor had told her many times. She just thought of it as Sanctuary. Often they had come to rest on this perfect beach after another death escaped too closely. The warm winds smelled of vanilla and cinnamon, and the ocean waves crashed turquoise on the rose colored sand. The sky was clear, truly clear. Some trick of the atmosphere let them see into the heavens as easily as she looked out the doors of the Tardis. No one had ever tried to kill them or chase them here. Nothing bad had ever happened. Clara had once joked that, for those reasons, it was truly unique in the universe. Whenever they needed to rest and regroup, the Doctor would land them here on her beach to listen to the waves and watch the planets rise and sink on the horizon.

The Doctor landed them in perfect time. Tonight was a once in a millennium event. Something about a meteor shower and a group of comets and a planetary conjunction making the most spectacular light show the universe had to offer. Truth be told, she hadn't really listened to his explanation, enjoying the cadence of his voice as he danced around the console. She closed her eyes and smiled. She found herself doing that more and more over the years. She'd lost track of the worlds they've seen, and while each one was a wonder, after so many decades of traveling together, they did run together a bit in her memories.

When they landed, he told her that everything would be perfect. She sat in her chair and smiled as he bundled up the blanket, basket, and cushions. She could hear him humming to himself as he laid everything out. When he was finally satisfied, he came back in for her. He scooped her up and rolled his eyes at her half-hearted protests that she could still walk, thank you very much. The exchange was an old one, and they found comfort in the rote words. He settled them down amongst the cushions, tucking her close as they waited for the show to begin.

After a time, the Doctor started the first, "Do you remember the time..." and again and again as they reminisced about their long years together. They laughed at the happy memories and cried as they remembered friends who had gone before. Eventually they fell silent, staring as the heavens seemed to explode above them.

Finally, the Doctor asked quietly, "Regrets?" He held her hand, gently tracing the soft wrinkles with his thumb. Clara had joked that he'd been saying for years that they looked exactly the same age, and it was finally true.

Clara smiled as she remembered the Christmas dream long ago when he'd asked her that before. "A few here and there, but not as many as I would have if I'd stayed behind. We've had a good life, the best. You've shown me wonders I could never have dreamed of, heartbreaks I thought I could never have endured but made me stronger than I would have believed, and an impossible love that only my Impossible Man could make possible. We were together and that trumps any regret I could ever have." He gently kissed away the tear that fell from the corner of her eye.

Together, they stared up at the sky, their chests rising and falling softly until, with a sigh and a quiet smile, Clara's chest fell one last time. The Doctor held her to him and closed his eyes as his tears finally fell into the hair of his Clara.

As the sky began to brighten and the shooting stars faded, the Doctor stood up, carefully arranging her on the blankets. He pulled a small, silver oblong from his pocket and placed it on her lap. He took his sonic and pointed it at the device. It buzzed quietly and the device began to glow. The glow grew brighter until it enveloped Clara. It rose slowly, taking her and contracting into a tiny sun before shooting up into the sky like a meteor who decided that falling to the earth was a mistake because the stars were where it belonged. It exploded with a shower of sparks, raining a thousand tiny points of light among the stars and over the ocean that Clara had loved.

Looking over the world he knew he could never bear to see again, he whispered, "Goodbye, Clara, my Clara. My impossible Girl. I will always remember you."


End file.
